


New Friends, Old Enemies Part Two

by 18lzytwner



Series: ThunderCats Fourth Series [2]
Category: Thundercats (1985)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-01-07 12:32:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 19,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18410708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/18lzytwner/pseuds/18lzytwner
Summary: Part Two picks up where New Friends, Old Enemies leaves off.  Cat's Lair is in danger of sinking into the moat, some of the Lunataks are still on the loose, and of course Mumm-Ra needs to be dealt with.  Will Slythe prove to be a friend or just a very convincing conman?  Find out in the second part of the series.  LC, PB





	1. Chapter 1

"WHO DARES TO DISTURB ME?" The Book of Omens bellowed as Lion-O tumbled to the floor. He was glad that Pumyra had finished her work before he went in as he landed on one of the bandaged cuts to his shoulder.

"It is I, Lion-O, King of Thundera and Lord of the ThunderCats," the lion responded as he carefully stood up.

"WHAT DO YOU REQUIRE MY KING?" The Book wanted to know.

"We are in need of Wizz-Ra's assistance and do not know how to reach him," Lion-O explained.

"THE GREAT SPHINX WILL NOT RELEASE HIM WITHOUT SOMETHING IN EXCHANGE. WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO GIVE FOR THE WIZARD?" The Book asked.

"If all goes according to plan, how does Mumm-Ra sound? He could keep him if he wanted," The lion offered.

"I SHALL PROPOSE YOUR OFFER," with that Lion-O suddenly found himself being expelled from the Book and landing onto the ground inside the medical tent.

"Lion-O! Are you ok?" Cheetara asked as Ben-Gali quickly helped him up.

"I think so. The Book says we are to wait for the Great Sphinx's response. He wanted an even trade so I offered up Mumm-Ra and told him he could keep him," the lion explained.

"We don't have him, how will we give him to the Sphinx ?" Ben-Gali asked.

"Hit that bridge when we get there. Right now we'd be swapping a wizard for a wizard and that is probably all the Sphinx is looking for. Where are Panthro and Slythe?" It was Lion-O's turn to ask a question.

"Helping Mandora and the others keep Vultureman in check. Evil Chaser backup is expected tomorrow afternoon. Captain Bragg received the message before leaving for another call. He promises to be back. Until the Evil Chasers arrive, we're on our own," Ben-Gali explained.

"Wonderful. I better go see if they could use my help. You too Ben-Gali," Lion-O said.

"I was only waiting to see if you or Wizz-Ra appeared or if Pumyra and Tygra needed help. They have their hands full," the white tiger told him.

"That they do. Good man. So let's make sure they don't have any more work coming their way," the King winked and the two took off toward the sound of blaster fire.

"The bastard won't give up, I'll give him that," Mandora shouted to Lion-O and Ben-Gali.

"Not sure if that is Mumm-Ra's doing or not," the lion admitted.

"What do you suppose that bag of bones is up to?" Panthro wondered. They all knew that for him and the Luntaks to remain silent was probably worse than having them there to fight.

"Chalk it up to 'I don't want to know' at the moment," Lynx-O spoke up. He was using his Light Shield in an attempt to force the rock Vultureman to keep his eyes closed. Despite being made of stone, it seemed to be working along with a healthy helping of blaster fire and added ropes from Warrior Maiden arrows. Snowmeow was perched on top of the prisoner's chest, sharpening his claws.

"Looks like we have things under control," Lion-O smiled.

"For now. If I know Mumm-Ra, he isn't twiddling his thumbs," Slythe spoke up.

"How about I lend a hand?" A familiar voice asked. They all looked up and Wizz-Ra was coming out of the sky from the direction of the medical tent.

"We could certainly use one or two," Lion-O smirked.


	2. Chapter 2

"Do you want me to turn him back into himself or do you need me to just banish him altogether?" Wizz-Ra asked.

"Well turn him back to himself if you can. He might have information we need," Lion-O said.

"All right, I'll do what I can. Everyone be ready! He may come out swinging!" The wizard announced to the group that gathered. Then he chanted in the ancient tongue of his people and before their eyes, the stone version of Vultureman began to shift into flesh and bone. The horrible screams that followed, no one was prepared for. The Mutant screamed until he passed out from the pain. Pumyra and Tygra came running, hoping that they could actually help the poor creature.

"Holy Mother of Pearl! What did you do to him?!" Mandora asked.

"Turning stone into flesh is not an easy process. My guess is that Mumm-Ra picked this particular punishment because of the pain involved," Wizz-Ra explained.

"Sounds about right," Slythe spoke up.

"Forgive me but are we friends with the Mutants now?" Wizz-Ra asked.

"Long story," Panthro said.

"Yes it is. As for Vultureman, he talked back to Mumm-Ra one too many times. We figured he was dead after he got turned into a rabbit and Ma-Mutt started chasing him," the reptile told him.

"Well he's not bleeding externally so I'm guessing once Ma-Mutt was done having his fun; Mumm-Ra turned him to stone. The good news is that despite his being transformed, Vultureman should have still had his mental faculties. The bad news is he may have lost them while he was forced to stare at the walls of wherever Mumm-Ra was keeping him. No stimulation for his brain for long periods of time could have turned him insane," the wizard frowned as he watched Ben-Gali help Tygra and Pumyra get the Mutant back to the medical tent.

"Great Jaga," Panthro shook his head.

"So is there a reason we're not inside the Lair?" Wizz-Ra switched topics.

"Another long story but at the moment, we have bigger fish to fry. Mumm-Ra had the Mutants release the Lunataks from their prison. We're down to Alluro, Tug Mug, and Red-Eye. We need to focus on them and getting Mumm-Ra to take your place," Lion-O said.

"I wondered what you traded. The Great Sphinx will not be pleased if we do not hurry," Wizz-Ra frowned.

"What do you mean?" Slythe asked.

"I was given until sunset three days from now. If your problem is not solved or Mumm-Ra is not in my place, then I will be sucked back into the Seventh Dimension and will never be free again," the wizard explained.

"Then we had best get a move on," Lynx-O spoke up. The group quickly headed to the tents that had been set up like a cafeteria. Lion-O began to explain everything to the wizard and Wizz-Ra did not interrupt.

"So that's where we're at," the lion said when he finished about twenty minutes later.

"You are right to be concerned about the silence from our foes. Mumm-Ra's cunning knows no bounds. My guess is that after he's read the Lunataks the riot act, they'll be coming for you and everyone here. My suggestion would be to get the civilians out of the way as soon as possible. Then we prepare a trap. The Evil Chasers approach is good but it will drive Mumm-Ra and the Lunataks underground until they are gone and we don't have that kind of time," Wizz-Ra told them.

"So what do you think we should do?" Panthro asked.

"We dangle a tantalizing prize for our adversary and then when he takes the bait, we nab him. With Mumm-Ra sent to the Seventh Dimension, you can use the Evil Chaser backup to capture the Lunataks," the wizard made it sound so easy.

"So who is going to be the bait?" Slythe asked, worried it was him. Wizz-Ra looked right at the King of Thundera and said,

"Our fearless leader."


	3. Chapter 3

"Remind me again why I'm doing this?" Lion-O asked into the radio handset he held. He now stood out in front of the black pyramid; wearing Wizz-Ra's Enchanted Golden Helmet of Pharnoor and of course, had the Sword of Omens on his hip. Two things that Mumm-Ra could not resist.

"Because if you don't, we're all screwed," Slythe responded. The Mutant, Panthro, Ben-Gali, and Wizz-Ra were inside the ThunderTank, hiding a few miles away in the desert. The Warrior Maidens, Snowman, and Snowmeow were taking care of security back at the temporary Lair and the civilians had been sent home. It was now dark out and the moon was the only thing lighting the desert.

"He's not wrong," Panthro spoke up.

"So I'm just supposed to stand here and wait for that bag of bones to show up?" The lion was a little unsure of how this was going to work.

"He'll sense the Helmet. It calls to anyone with great magical powers for while it allows you to control minds of others, it can also control you if you let it," Wizz-Ra said.

"Explains the voices in my head," Lion-O frowned.

"Stay focused on the task at hand and you'll be fine," Wizz-Ra promised.

"Give the mummy a wakeup call and use the Sword on the pyramid. He has to be on his way back here. No way he can be gone this long without recharging," Panthro suggested.

"It does seem odd that I could not sense him but perhaps he's already inside the pyramid," the wizard said. Lion-O could be heard heaving a sigh over the radio before the connection ended. They heard the sound of the Sword's energy blast hitting the pyramid and part of the pyramid crumbling under the force.

"If that doesn't bring him running, nothing will," Slythe said.

"At the ready to charge in there," Ben-Gali commented from his seat in the passenger side of the ThunderTank.

"I can hear the pyramid groaning. Not sure why it would do that," Lion-O's voice comes over the radio.

"Mumm-Ra isn't home and it's calling to him. Do it again," Wizz-Ra said. Again they heard the sound of the Sword and the pyramid but there was something else this time.

"How dare you whelp!" Mumm-Ra landed next to the lion.

"Took you long enough," Lion-O smirked.

"You have the Enchanted Helmet! How is that possible?" The mummy demanded.

"I have friends in high places. Now you going to come for it or are you just going to gawk at my good looks?" The Lord of the ThunderCats poked the bear. Mumm-Ra charged at him and in the distance the lion could hear the engine of the ThunderTank roar to life. However, it was obvious that Mumm-Ra had not because he stayed focused on the Helmet.

"To slow you ancient bag of bones," Lion-O ducked the attack and struck back with the Sword. An energy blast hit the mummy in the back and he screamed out.

"You'll pay for this!" Mumm-Ra charged again but this time, he didn't get far as an energy blast from the ThunderTank's cannon hit him square in the chest. Knocked down to the ground, he watched as Lion-O tossed the Helmet to Wizz-Ra who caught it and put in on. The wizard spoke in a language that only Mumm-Ra understood and a bolt of energy shot forth from his hands. The energy ensnared the mummy so he could not move. Mumm-Ra tried to speak but Slythe jumped in to stop him. The Mutant wrapped his tail around the mummy's head and over his mouth, effectively stopping the weakened mummy from casting a spell.

"Great Sphinx! We have Mumm-Ra as promised!" Wizz-Ra called out. The sky opened in a dark spiral and approached the group.

"A DEAL IS A DEAL WIZARD! YOU ARE FREE TO GO!" With that, Slythe whacked Mumm-Ra on the head with the flat side of his battle axe before letting him go. The spiral sucked up Mumm-Ra and the sky closed and all was as before.

"That was easy," Panthro chuckled.

"A little too easy," Lion-O frowned.

"Not at all. We caught Mumm-Ra at his weakest. He would not be able to defeat the Helmet and the Sword. That's when the Sword growled. Lion-O quickly checked with the mighty weapon and everyone could see that he went white.

"We have to get back to the Lair now!" He ordered.


	4. Chapter 4

They could see the smoke rising in the distance and Panthro floored the samoflange even harder, if that was even possible. The ThunderTank wheeled into camp and it was easy to see what had happened. The Lunataks had made their move while they were busy attempting to get Mumm-Ra. Tents had been burned or knocked down. Warrior Maidens' arrows lay around on the ground and uninjured women had started to clean up the camp. Snowmeow lay on the edge of camp and had blood on his fur, around his mouth – the big cat had obviously hurt someone as the wounds he had were not large enough to provide that much blood and they were not in reach of his own tongue.

"Help! We need help in here!" It was Mandora. She was screaming at the top of her lungs from inside one of the tents having heard the Tank outside. Everyone quickly left the Tank and went toward the sound of her voice.

"What happened?" Lion-O asked. Mandora stood over her subordinate Bol, pressing on his chest. Lion-O grabbed a cloth off the nearby table and helped her staunch the blood flow. Bol's color was not good and he hissed as the pressure grew.

"Someone was playing "help my partner first, I'm fine"," the blonde huffed. Slythe could see from the discarded protective vest on the floor that the wound would not have looked bad from the outside as only a small portion was damaged. He wondered how the Evil Chaser had managed to get hurt that way.

"Where are Tygra and Pumyra?" Panthro asked.

"They're busy. We just need to help him," Mandora said.

"Pumyra taught me a thing or two. Let me take a look," Ben-Gali told them.

"I'm afraid if we move our hands…" the meaning of the words were clear. Mandora was sure Bol would die – she had no medical experience but she knew when things were not good.

"I'll handle this. Go help the others," Wizz-Ra said to Panthro, Ben-Gali, and Slythe. Quickly the three left, looking for those to help.

"I need you to move. I must put my hands on his wounds. He will scream and shout, just hold him steady," the wizard ordered. Mandora looked like she wanted to argue but she knew she did not have much choice. Lion-O moved to his shoulders while Mandora moved to his legs. Wizz-Ra spoke in his native tongue and Bol cried out as the obvious blaster wound healed itself shut.

"He will need rest. Let us help the others," Wizz-Ra told them.

"Thank you," Mandora said.

"Of course," the wizard smiled slightly. They moved through to the next tent to find Willa with her leg bandaged around her calf. Nada was next to her, her right arm in a sling.

"How are you?" Lion-O was concerned.

"We'll be fine. We gave as good as we got. One of those bastards didn't get away," Willa smirked.

"More than one," Mandora smirked.

"You'll need to fill us in once we're sure everyone has gotten medical attention," Lion-O said. The ladies nodded and the group moved on. They finally reached Tygra who were stitching up a cut on Snowman's forehead.

"That looks nasty," the lion commented.

"A mere scratch. How are the others?" The large man asked.

"Pumyra was working on the worst case we have left. I'm guessing you helped Bol," Tygra spoke up without looking away from his current patient.

"Why wasn't he first?" Lion-O wanted to know. Tygra heaved a sigh and that told them a lot.

"He insisted that we work on his partner first. Pumyra has been working on Shay for a long time. I'm not sure there is anything we can do for her. While she has been working I had to amputate a foot, stich a belly wound, set an arm, and then I was about to handle Bol when I heard the shouting and the Tank pull up. Let me guess, what looked like a little burn wound turned out to be something much worse," the tiger said.

"Yes, much worse. I will be ripping him a new one once he wakes up," Mandora said. That's when Pumyra walked into the tent and collapsed into a chair. Ben-Gali went to her.

"I think I did it but only time will tell," the puma breathed.

"You did your best. Shay could not ask for better to take care of her," the white tiger said, putting her hands in his.

"How bad is it?" Mandora wanted to know.

"Red-Eye's laser blast hit her in the thigh right near her femoral artery. The tourniquet stopped the blood flow but may be for too long. I was able to stich up the damaged veins so that I could reopen blood flow to the rest of her leg but we won't know if the leg will be viable until blood pumps through it for a little while. The skin had started to change color and that is what is making me nervous, that and gangrene. The tent is not the most sterile environment," the puma heaved a sigh. That's when Cheetara wheeled herself from the same direction that Pumyra had come.

"She's still out, which is a good thing," the cheetah smiled slightly. It did not escape anyone's notice that she looked a little worse for wear. There were bruises she didn't have before and cuts too. Lion-O went to her and kneeled down so that they'd be at eye level.

"Somehow, I don't think you were taking care of those lungs or your leg like you were supposed to," he said.

"And let everyone else have all the fun? Hardly," she smirked but there was something that he could see in her eyes that bothered him.

"Well if everyone is medically treated, I think it's time you told us what happened," Lion-O said.


	5. Chapter 5

"Commander Tiberius, good to see you," Mandora shook the man's hand. The Evil Chasers had arrived as promised the next afternoon. They now gathered in the main tent. Medical help was being administered to all those who had been injured the night before. Shay was being ferried back to the main ship and some of the medical team went with her. Pumyra had gone with them in case they needed her help.

"As it is to see you, First Class. I hear you had occasion to discharge your weapon," the Commander gave her a look.

"I did. Per protocol, it was locked away in a storage container," Mandora said. She had indicated which one to a couple of Corporals and they had taken it aboard the ship.

"Good. The victims' bodies have been preserved?" Tiberius asked.

"As best we could. Without the Lair, we have no refrigeration. Witness statements were taken by the ThunderCats that weren't here when it happened," the blonde told him. Both of the bodies were being taken aboard the Evil Chaser's battle cruiser to be examined in an attempt to verify the events of the night before.

"Sounds like things were done appropriately. I've dispatched the science team to see what they can see with the Lair. In the meantime, we're going to see about shoring up the living arrangements. Even if we figure out what to do with the Lair, things won't be fixed lickety split. Now, why don't you tell me your side of the story?" The Commander wanted to know.

"So Wizz-Ra had this idea to trap Mumm-Ra. He, Lion-O, Panthro, Ben-Gali, and Slythe headed out to the black pyramid. We were in charge of keeping everyone safe along with the Warrior Maidens. While we knew that the Lunataks were out there, we figured that we were safe for a little while. Turns out, not so much," Mandora swallowed hard before continuing,

"The Warrior Maidens sounded the alarm and everyone came running. There was Alluro, Tug Mug, and Red-Eye. They started to attack and the Warrior Maidens formed ranks in an attempt to corral the Lunataks. That's when Vultureman just went off. Wizz-Ra was concerned that he would be mentally unstable but we all thought he was sedated. Apparently not. He charged across the tents and tackled Tug Mug. I had never seen something so crazed and so intense. Bol tried to intervene but Shay stopped him. I think she knew that getting in the way would get him killed. I fired a warning shot close enough that it singed Vultureman's feathers but he didn't react. I told Shay and Bol to go help the others and then I felt a whoosh of air and Cheetara was suddenly there. She had managed to move like that despite her damaged lungs and broken leg. Then she used her bo-staff on Vultureman. The crazed Mutant backhanded her and I went to her side. She was all cut up and bruised, her breathing was labored. Before I could get her out of there, Vultureman turned on us. He came at us and I just fired. Once. Twice. Three times. He finally stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. Then I heard Alluro shout, "Tug Mug is dead!" Red-Eye blasted the crowd and then they turned tail," Mandora explained.

"So Vultureman killed Tug Mug and then you were forced to protect yourself and another. Seems pretty cut and dry to me. We'll await the autopsies for final confirmation. In the meantime, no official Evil Chaser business for you. The psychiatrist will swing by later, right now though we could use your help. Lion-O refused to let us take Slythe into custody. Now we all know the Mutant is a wanted felon," Tiberius said.

"Slythe has actually been very helpful with everything going on. I've been trying to suss out what is going on with him but he seems genuine. Lion-O knows what he's doing. I'd say let this ride for now. He is King here and his people were the most affected by the actions of the Mutants so if he thinks Slythe is on the level then tend to agree with him," the blonde told him.

"I trust your judgement. We'll let it slide for now. He is outnumbered if he tries something anyway," the Commander pointed out.

"Good point. Now we better get a move on. Lots of work to do," Mandora winked.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time darkness fell, the housing situation had been improved with more stable structures that the Evil Chasers had brought with them. The housing units were dome shaped but braced with hexagonal supports that would take high winds and even the weight of some snow. Lion-O hoped that it wouldn't come to that but the science team that the Commander dispatched figured it would take them the better part of a week just to figure out if the mountain was stable enough to rebuild from the soil samples. Since the bridge collapsed, the samples would need to be taken using special equipment. Panthro had been interested to watch them work as was Tygra.

Now Lion-O headed for the new medical structure with a bag in his hands. It was two of the domes put together where one dome was actually able to be quickly converted into a sterile operating room and the other dome acted like a doctor's office with beds for the patients that hadn't had to go to the battle cruiser.

"There you are. How are you feeling?" Lion-O asked, as he sat down next to Cheetara. Her attempt to help had done some damage to her healing lungs and her leg had had to be recasted as the plaster broke when she attempted to run.

"Like I'm completely useless," the cheetah admitted.

"Hey, no one could ask more of you. I'm just glad you're going to be ok. Promise me that you'll let us do the fighting. I'd like to see you out and about not stuck in here," he said.

"I promise to behave… for now…" she teased.

"Good. Now I have something for you. Panthro had wanted to give it to you sooner but things weren't exactly calm enough to do so," Lion-O reached into the bag and pulled out the small ornate box the panther had retrieved before the bridge collapsed.

"Oh that panther," Cheetara started to tear up.

"I thought you'd be happy," the lion was a little confused. He reached for a nearby box of tissues and handed her one.

"I am. I just worried that I'd lose it forever," the cheetah wiped her eyes.

"Well I'm glad he was able to grab it. I didn't even know you had it," Lion-O admitted.

"Only Panthro knows I had it. He introduced me to Kimoni," she said, not offering exactly how Kimoni and the box go together. The lion didn't press, knowing that speaking of her fiancée was not easy for her.

"Well with any luck, it'll have a sturdy shelf to go back on inside the Lair soon," he smiled at her. Cheetara reached over and put her hand on his.

"The box represents my past. This is a chance for everyone to start over. It was our chance to start over when we landed here but I wasn't ready. I cannot forget, but I do need to move on," she seemed like she was trying to tell herself as much as she was telling him.

"The people we miss haven't left us, they're still in here," Lion-O pointed to his heart. Cheetara smiled but it was a tight one like her heart was barely keeping it together. He wondered just what demons she was grappling with when footsteps broke his train of thought.

"I hate to break this up but the Evil Chasers want to go after those bloody Lunataks," Slythe told them.

"We have the manpower; we might as well take the fight to them. Any word on how Shay and Bol are doing?" The lion wanted to know.

"Bol is doing just fine, thanks to the wizard. He offered his assistance to Shay and I guess something worked out because he's joining us in the hunt," the reptile said.

"Well then let's get a move on," Lion-O nodded. Slythe gave him a slight smile and turned to give the two cats a moment alone.

"When I get back, we'll talk some more. Rest," without thinking, he leaned over and kissed her forehead.


	7. Chapter 7

"So you going to tell her you love her or just keep pussy-footing around?" Slythe asked as Lion-O joined him a few minutes later. The Mutant could have sworn that the lion's cheeks turned as red as his hair.

"She lost someone when Thundera exploded," was all the lion said.

"That explains the mission to get the box. The past can have quite the hold on us. Sometimes we don't realize it until it's too late. Don't let her fall into that cycle. It's one that is hard to break," the Mutant told him as they approached the group.

"All good?" Mandora asked before Lion-O could comment back to his companion.

"If we're going out to catch the Lunataks, then yes, all good," Slythe said.

"Good, because I'm going with you," the blonde loaded her weapon back into its holster. She then climbed into the back of the ThunderTank.

"All cleared?" Lion-O commented as he climbed into the Tank. He was surprised at how quickly the Evil Chaser had been exonerated.

"Not exactly but she's our best fugitive hunter and we might need her. She'll be hanging back when we go in to get those Lunataks. Now Slythe, you said that Sky Tomb wasn't fully operational because of a lack of fuel. According to the witnesses, the Lunataks just appeared when they last attacked," Commander Tiberius said as he took a seat as well. The engine on the Tank roared to life and the back hatch was closed as Slythe entered the vehicle.

"Mumm-Ra probably transported them before heading back to the pyramid. They had no way to power up any of their vehicles. You're welcome by the way. Thanks to the ineptitude of Monkian and Jackalman, we never managed to complete the mission. Though truth be told, we Mutants don't like the Lunataks so maybe it was just our lack of willingness to help," Slythe admitted.

"Well we'll take what we can get," Panthro chuckled from the front seat of the Tank.

"So this Dark Side sounds like fun," Tiberius brought the conversation back around to their final destination.

"Fire Rock Mountain was basically leveled when we saved Lynx-O, Pumyra, and Ben-Gali but that doesn't mean that the Thundrainium there is any less potent. So if we're going to fight, the ThunderCats and I would be better equipped inside the Tank. Once outside, we suffer the effects of the Thundrainum," Lion-O explained.

"Good thing we brought back up," the Commander said, referring to the Evil Chaser transport following the Tank.

"I would agree but given the change in atmosphere, everyone who leaves the ships will need oxygen. The added filtration on the vehicle's intakes was a smart play. That being said, without fuel, I'm not sure how they are scrubbing the air inside of Sky Tomb. Red-Eye is smarter than most give him credit though so mind your wits," Slythe told them.

"Sky Tomb is coming up on the scanners. I'm getting two heat signatures," Panthro called back to them.

"Why don't you give them a little wakeup call?" Lion-O suggested.

"Aye aye Cap'm," the panther smirked and nodded to Ben-Gali. The white tiger pushed a series of buttons and launched a small missile which was packed with quite the punch. It hit the target and shook Sky Tomb. Parts of the ship shot all over the place and it wobbled unsteadily. Panthro radioed to the transport and the Evil Chasers zoomed in for a closer look.


	8. Chapter 8

"Direct hit ThunderTank. Smoke is puffing out of the ship but no sign of the Lunataks," the Evil Chaser transport said.

"Did the heat signatures move?" Slythe suddenly asked.

"Hard to tell now. I'm getting flame readings," Ben-Gali told him.

"Tell the transport to back up! Get them out of there!" The lizard shouted. Panthro quickly did as the Mutant said and the transport turned and headed back toward the ThunderTank. Just in time too, as a sudden explosion rocked Sky Tomb. It would have caught the transport completely unaware and could have severely damaged it and injured those on board. The explosion caused the vehicle to sway and fall towards the Tank and the transport, narrowly missing them both.

"Bastards set a booby trap!" Lion-O was upset at the thought that more people would have been harmed.

"Just as I feared. They aren't here. They lured you in and then tried to take you out with their beloved Sky Tomb. My guess is that Red-Eye is behind this," Slythe frowned.

"I would agree since I don't think Alluro is smart enough to wire up something like this," Panthro said.

"So where did they go? They're the most hated beings on this planet at the moment," Ben-Gali wondered.

"My guess is the evidence of where they went disappeared the minute the secondary explosion was activated. I would suggest we pull back to the Lair and regroup," Mandora suggested.

"Sound advice First Class," Commander Tiberius said.

"Panthro, Ben-Gali, radio the transport. Maybe Wizz-Ra can locate them with his magic," Lion-O suggested.

"You think they would head to Castle Plundarr?" Mandora asked Slythe, wondering about the wizard and just what he could accomplish.

"I highly doubt it. While we were both under Mumm-Ra's thumb, we don't like it each other as I said before. The plan has gone completely haywire so my thought would be that they'd want off this rock. Hard to do though with an Evil Chaser battle cruiser in orbit," the Mutant admitted.

"Well if they think they can hide out until we leave, they'll be sorely mistaken. We're not leaving until the ThunderCats are back inside a completed Lair," Tiberius said.

"Then the only other place to go would be to find Mumm-Ra which will be kind of hard since we sent him packing," Slythe told them. The radio crackled to life and the Evil Chasers aboard the transport said that they needed to exit Dark Side before Wizz-Ra could try anything.

"Then let's head out. The sooner we get the Lunataks off this planet, the better," Lion-O said. Panthro and Ben-Gali got the ThunderTank moving and they would be out of Dark Side in only a few minutes.

"Oh, no complaints here. Though I imagine that means I'll be next on your list," Slythe said.

"Well how about we start with Monkian and Jackalman first? I mean you have been helping us," the lion seemed like he hated to give up someone he was starting to look at as a friend.

"I would agree with that assessment," Panthro threw his own two cents in.

"Suppose it is not up to you or to me. There's probably a warrant out for my arrest," the Mutant looked at the Evil Chasers.

"Technically, the warrant was issued by the Thunderian Council and King Claudus. Since Lion-O is the last of the line of royals, what happens to you is up to him. The same goes for Monkian and Jackalman. The Lunataks are the only ones where I can supersede the King's authority on the planet. That being said, I am obligated to take over for him, should something happen to him or to his next in command. A warrant is a warrant," Commander Tiberius explained. He wouldn't lie and perhaps reinforcing the idea would prove to them just how much the Mutant had really turned the proverbial corner.

"Then I will do whatever is required of me by whoever decides it. Let's call this my last hurrah," Slythe said. Lion-O was about to ask a question when the radio interrupted them.

"Wizz-Ra says he has something. Seems like the Black Pyramid should be our destination," the young Evil Chaser from the transport relayed.

"Well if we're going to do it…" Panthro started.

"Let's do it. Full steam ahead boys!" Lion-O smirked. Quickly Ben-Gali radioed the transport and Panthro kicked the ThunderTank into overdrive.


	9. Chapter 9

"Any signs of life?" Lion-O asked Ben-Gali as he scanned the pyramid. The desert heat had dissipated the minute the sun went down and that meant clear scanning using the heat signature technology.

"I've got two inside the pyramid. Not sure how they got in though. We've never really be able to do it easily and they haven't been on the planet long enough to know where to go – right?" Ben-Gali wondered.

"The Ancient Spirits of Evil may be helping them. Without Mumm-Ra they will seek out a new champion," Slythe said.

"That doesn't sound good," Panthro said.

"I would agree. Those buggers tried to get inside my head and it wasn't a pretty picture. I'll admit that I've done things that I'm not proud of but the levels that they wanted me to stoop to were just not for me. However, I could not say the same for Red-Eye or Alluro," the Mutant frowned.

"You mean all Mutants don't want to stoop to the lowest level they can? Here we figured that was just par for the course," Mandora gave him a poke.

"Oh there are plenty who would stoop – without thinking twice. That's what makes us Mutants so dangerous. For some of us though, there is a line that we refuse to cross. With the Ancient Spirits of Evil, the line starts at giving them your soul for all eternity, and stops when they say it does. Look at how many times they brought Mumm-Ra back from the dead. When I go, I don't want that happening, thank you very much," Slythe admitted.

"Agreed," Commander Tiberius nodded.

"Well I think we should use our powerful wizard friend to make our way inside, don't you?" Lion-O wondered as Panthro opened the back hatch of the ThunderTank. Quickly they disembarked to find the transport had emptied of all of her passengers as well.

"I cannot enter the pyramid," Wizz-Ra announced as they exited the Tank.

"Why not?" Lion-O asked.

"The Enchanted Golden Helmet of Pharnoor is something that the Ancient Spirits would love to get their hands on. I and it must stay outside. That being said, I can certainly give you a helping hand inside," the wizard explained.

"Before we head inside – do not get separated from the group! There are booby traps, dead-end paths, and two Lunataks in there. Anyone who gets separated is liable to get killed. I want everyone in one piece when we're done," Lion-O said to the group.

"Sounds like fun and I'm going to miss it," Mandora frowned, trying to lighten the mood. She would be forced to stay behind with Wizz-Ra since she wasn't officially on duty.

"We'll try to save you some," Commander Tiberius winked as Wizz-Ra cast a spell and opened the wall of the pyramid. Quickly the group moved through the opening and the moment that the last Evil Chaser went through, the hole closed.

"May the Gods protect them," the wizard said.

"I hope they are listening. I have a question for you – can you cast a spell to see if someone is being truthful?" She wondered.

"This wouldn't have to do with Slythe's transformation would it?" He asked.

"That obvious huh?" Mandora smirked.

"I do have one I could use but I highly doubt that he would betray the ThunderCats now, since they will be doing him a favor. Once the Lunataks are gone, then we will see what we can see," Wizz-Ra said.

"Sounds like a plan," the blonde nodded. The two quickly retreated to the safety of the transport, as the desert at night could get very cold and a slight breeze had whipped up.

Now that they were inside the pyramid, the group quickly lit the corridor where they were standing with what the Evil Chasers called "light buttons". They were about the size of a hockey puck but when the middle of the puck was pressed, bright light shot forth from the device.

"This place gives me the creeps," Ben-Gali said.

"Agreed. Let's not stay longer than we need to. This way. If we reach the main chamber we'll have a better idea if the Lunataks are there or if they got lost in the tunnels," Lion-O spoke up.

"Save some of those light buttons for Red-Eye. He'll be easier to capture if you temporarily blind him," Slythe told the Evil Chasers. The group started to move the down the hallway, not sure when or where they would run into their foes.


	10. Chapter 10

The group managed to make their way to the main chamber without much trouble which had Lion-O inwardly worried. What was the likelihood that Red-Eye and Alluro managed to do the same or were they waiting in the main chamber with a booby trap of their own? Maybe they just got lucky and Wizz-Ra put them on the right path when he opened the pyramid wall.

"I'm having that same feeling," Slythe spoke up, seemingly understanding the lion's concern.

"Oh so it isn't just me?" Panthro wondered, chuckling slightly.

"Way too easy, given past experience," Lion-O nodded.

"Here I thought you guys were just trying to freak us out," Commander Tiberius said before turning to his troops and saying,

"Light this place up like a Christmas Tree."

"Yes sir!" Quickly more light buttons were placed on nearby walls, thanks to special adhesive pads. Then the Evil Chasers made teams of three and spread out, clearing the room, and adding light wherever they could.

"So they aren't here. How much you want to bet they got themselves lost in the tunnels?" Slythe chuckled.

"I'm not taking that bet," Ben-Gali shook his head.

"And we're not going in there to find them. Too many ambush possibilities and it would force us to split up," Lion-O frowned.

"Corporal Ash, send out the robots. See if you can find any heat signatures," Commander Tiberius ordered. The small statured young man next to him moved the backpack he was wearing to his front, dug into the pockets, and pulled out a handful of tiny flying robots.

"Fascinating. You can get them to fly without any use of a controller?" Panthro asked.

"These are new heat-seeking drones, sir. I just have to send them in the right direction. If we stand at the entrance to each tunnel, I can release one and the computer I have still in the backpack will track their movements. Would you like to help?" Ash wondered.

"Most definitely," the panther was excited.

"I think Panthro's in love," Ben-Gali chuckled.

"They definitely have some awesome toys," Lion-O smiled.

"First Class, this is Commander Tiberius, come in," the Evil Chaser tried his radio but got nothing but static.

"The walls of the pyramid are probably too thick for radios," Slythe said.

"That doesn't exactly make me feel any better," Tiberius frowned.

"She has a wizard with her. How much trouble could Mandora get in?" The reptile asked.

"It's not her I'm worried about. If we need an immediate Evac, we're going to have a problem," the Commander said.

"Yeah that would be a problem," now Slythe was frowning.

"Commander! I lost one of the robots! It just went offline!" Corporal Ash shouted from his position near one of the tunnel entrances. He handed Panthro a light button and the panther slapped it to the tunnel wall before turning it on.

"That could be a booby trap," Lion-O said.

"These drones are supposed to be small enough to not trigger booby traps. It could be our Lunatak friends," the Corporal told him.

"Hey did anyone notice that Ma-Mutt doesn't seem to be here?" Ben-Gali suddenly asked.

"What's a Ma-Mutt?" Tiberius wanted to know.

"The ever-living dog of Mumm-Ra's. Perhaps it is he who took your drone out. He does seem to be missing," Lion-O looked around, noticing that Mumm-Ra's sarcophagus was closed.

"Slythe, with me," the King said. The Mutant gave him a look but followed, along with the Commander.

"You think he's in there?" Slythe asked in a low tone, hoping that if the dog was in there, he didn't hear him. Lion-O nodded and the two of the shoved the lid of the sarcophagus off. Inside, sure enough, there was Ma-Mutt but the horrible hound was looking a little worse for wear. He was pale and it looked like he'd sheared off his toenails on his front paws.

"I need some water," Lion-O said. Tiberius handed him a canteen and the lion gave some water to Ma-Mutt.

"There you go. Now how did you end up in there?" Knowing the animal could not respond, he was beginning to wonder how alone they were.

"He tried to claw his way out…" Slythe said. Lion-O looked up and saw the claw marks on the inside of the sarcophagus.

"The Lunataks are most definitely here and now they are sure they are not alone. Men, line up at the tunnel entrance! Blasters at the ready!" Tiberius shouted.

"What are you thinking?" The lion wanted to know.

"A few warning shots and then we go in," the Commander said.


	11. Chapter 11

"I have a bad feeling about this," Cheetara said to Pumyra as the puma came in to check on her.

"About what?" Pumyra was confused as to what the cheetah could be referring to.

"My sixth sense is on the fritz. It's trying to warn me but I can't understand it. Radio the Tank and the Transport. I need to talk to them," Cheetara told her. Pumyra nodded and quickly headed for the nearest Evil Chaser who was standing guard. She quickly told him it was urgent to contact the teams in the field and he quickly tried to raise them on his helmet radio as they headed back to Cheetara's room.

"Mandora here, what is it Corporal Simmons?" The blonde's voice came over the external speaker.

"Lady Cheetara is concerned about the team, First Class. I thought I'd check in," he responded.

"All quiet on the Western Front for now but…" suddenly the transmission stopped.

"What happened?" Cheetara asked. All Simmons could do was shrug and attempt to raise Mandora again on the radio.

"The faint sounds of blaster fire are coming from inside the pyramid. I'm going in," were the last words they got before the transmission cut out for the final time.

"Blaster fire? That would explain my uneasiness," the cheetah swallowed. Simmons ignored them and quickly switched the speaker to internal mode and radioed the battle cruiser in orbit. Once updated, they quickly sent down two more transports full of Evil Chasers to Mandora's position.

"Back up is on the way ma'am. They'll have those Lunataks in no time," he tried to reassure her.

"Between the Sword, Wizz-Ra, and the Evil Chasers, I think they have this handled," Pumyra was trying to be reassuring but it was hard since it seemed she didn't believe her own words.

"I'm sure you're right," Cheetara only half-smiled. Concerned that her comrades were in danger and she could do nothing to help.

"Incoming transmission from the ship. Unidentified craft headed for Third Earth's air space. Ship seems to be in distress. The crew is approaching with all caution," Simmons suddenly spoke up.

"We weren't expecting any company. Any idea if it's Mutant?" Pumyra wanted to know.

"Negative. They'd have turned around once they saw the battle cruiser," the Evil Chaser said.

"Even if they needed help?" Cheetara was skeptical.

"We've seen it before. They rather die than spend time on the Penal Planet," Simmons said before the radio interrupted them.

"Ship seems to be Thunderian in origin. Our crew has pulled the ship to with the tractor beams and is about to board," he reported.

"I'm getting the others. They need to know," Pumyra took off down the hallway trying to locate Tygra, Lynx-O, the ThunderKittens, and Snarf.

"Survivors have been located and are heading for medical treatment. They are in fact Thunderian. More info will be passed along once the situation has been fully investigated," Simmons said.

"Thank you for your help. Please update us as soon as you can," Cheetara smiled at him.

"Of course ma'am," he nodded and then returned to his post. A few minutes later, the rest of the ThunderCats piled into her room.

"There are others? Are we really that lucky?" Tygra asked.

"Simmons said he'd give us more news as soon as he could but I know what you mean. Is it too much to hope?" Cheetara wondered.


	12. Chapter 12

"I can't leave you guys alone for five minutes can I?" Mandora asked as she appeared in the main room of the pyramid, exiting the lit tunnel that the others left behind.

"We have it mostly covered," Lion-O smirked at her as he walked over to meet the blonde.

"Well when one hears blaster fire outside, one must investigate. Back up is en-route so they can transport the prisoner to the ship. I'll have them contact Captain Bragg for transfer to the Penal Planet," Mandora smiled.

"Well I think Alluro will need medical assistance before transport. Seems that Slythe was right about Red-Eye. He used Alluro as a shield and then escaped down the tunnel. The backup should maintain the perimeter in case Red-Eye tries to escape," the lion said. Mandora nodded that the medics were doing everything they could to prevent the Lunatak from leaving his mortal coil.

"My helmet doesn't work in here but I can make my way back out and radio in. Aren't there booby traps in the tunnels? You think Red-Eye will be able to avoid them all?" She wondered.

"No idea. Somehow he and Alluro got in and avoided them. They shoved Ma-Mutt into Mumm-Ra's sarcophagus," Lion-O shrugged. That's when an explosion rocked the black pyramid and knocked most of the group down to the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Mandora asked.

"Red-Eye, you can count on it. Everyone get out! It'll be safer outside and probably our best bet to catch him!" Slythe bellowed. Quickly those not injured by the explosion helped the others up and they all headed back the way they had come. Lion-O helped Mandora to her feet, glad to see she was ok. He then made his way to Ma-Mutt who was still in bad shape.

"Come on Ma-Mutt. I'm not leaving you here," the lion scooped up the dog, slightly surprised the horrible hound didn't fight him.

"Is that everybody?" Mandora looked around and didn't see anyone left.

"I think so. Ladies first," Lion-O said. The blonde rolled her eyes but went into the tunnel before him. They were right behind the rest of the group when suddenly everyone stopped.

"What's wrong?" Mandora wanted to know.

"First Class!" Commander Tiberius was surprised to see her.

"What's the holdup sir?" She asked.

"The tunnel is blocked," he said.

"Look after Ma-Mutt," Lion-O told them, setting the dog down, before he said, "ThunderCats Ho!" Quickly, Panthro and Ben-Gali headed toward him in the back of the pack. Slythe followed suit.

"Our muscle is needed. The tunnel is blocked," the lion told them.

"If we're going to do it, then let's do it," Panthro nodded. The four worked their way to the front of the group to investigate the situation. They were about to start trying to open the space when they heard Wizz-Ra outside.

"Stand back ThunderCats!" He shouted to them and everyone backed up. The fallen bits of pyramid started to shift and move. An opening soon presented itself and quickly the Evil Chasers were ushered through it. Mandora and Commander Tiberius had picked up Ma-Mutt and were trying to make it to the hole. Surprisingly, the ever-living dog was pretty heavy. Lion-O went back and took the dog from them and they quickly exited the pyramid to find that back-up had arrived. Alluro was whisked off to the battle cruiser and the rest stayed to search for Red-Eye. Lion-O loaded Ma-Mutt onto the ThunderTank and gave him a blanket along with some more water. The horrible hound seemed to smile at him and Lion-O couldn't help but smile himself.

"Lion-O! A Thunderian ship was rescued by my ship. The Cats aboard are being medically checked over," Tiberius relayed after speaking with his crew.

"That's fantastic news! I look forward to meeting them! However, do me a favor and keep them out of harm's way until we can find Red-Eye," the lion said.

"Not a problem. Where do you think our slippery little fellow got to?" Tiberius wondered.

"That is a very good question," Lion-O frowned.


	13. Chapter 13

"Somehow Red-Eye must have gotten away," Ben-Gali frowned. The group that had remained at the pyramid to search for their foe but they had come up empty after an hour. They had reconvened inside the ThunderTank to get out of the desert's cold night air.

"It's freezing out here in the dark. If he's on foot, he'll freeze before he gets too far. Perhaps a search radius is in order," Slythe suggested.

"I initiated a heat detection scan with the ThunderTank but so far nothing. If the Evil Chasers could do the same, we may have an answer," Panthro said.

"Our transports aren't equipped with heat detection since they aren't really meant for tracking vehicles. Only the Electro-Chargers and our small Search and Rescue vehicles are equipped with them. Where would Red-Eye go anyway? With SkyTomb destroyed and Mumm-Ra not available, I can't imagine he'd attempt to go to Castle Plundarr," Commander Tiberius had a point.

"Castle Plundarr is too far from here without crossing what would be a lot of hostile territory. Plus Monkian and Jackalman would probably turn him over, if they thought it would save their own hides," Slythe smirked a little.

"Panthro, signal the transports. Have them search for footprints within a five mile radius of the pyramid. If we still find nothing after that, then we should return home. He either managed to escape or he managed to trap himself inside the pyramid with that blast he set off," Lion-O said. Panthro nodded and they quickly got to work.

Meanwhile, Cheetara was growing worried that the group had not yet made it back to camp. Pumyra had wanted her to sleep but the cheetah just couldn't shake the feelings she was having. What if Kimoni was one of the survivors? Her heart was being pulled in so many directions that her mind couldn't decide in what direction to go. It was impossible to ignore Lion-O's kiss to her forehead. It was also impossible to ignore the flutter of butterflies in her stomach when he did so. She had only ever felt the same way with her fiancé.

She supposed she was getting ahead of herself. Kimoni might not be one of the survivors. Lion-O might have just been trying to make her feel better. The chances that Kimoni survived were slim. If he did, what was the likelihood he'd find Third Earth? The galaxy was a large place and there were many planets in it.

"I could hear you thinking a mile away," Lynx-O's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"You almost gave me a heart attack," Cheetara told him.

"A bad habit I developed after losing my sight. Sorry about that," he admitted as he carefully took a seat next to her bed.

"No need to apologize. You could hear me thinking huh?" She wondered.

"When I heard there were survivors I figured that we'd all be affected by it. We all lost people and we all have the hope that someone we know is on that battle cruiser. You've been through a lot lately and I was half hoping you were resting like Pumyra ordered but I kind of knew better," the lynx smiled slightly.

"I'm that easy of a read huh?" Cheetara asked.

"I know we haven't known each other long but I know a Cat just like you. You've even met her," Lynx-O said.

"Ah Pumyra," the cheetah said.

"On the nosy. Now you don't have to say anything if you don't want but I'm here to listen," the lynx smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

Morning came and the camp was bustling. Well most of the camp. After talking a good portion of the night, Cheetara had finally fallen asleep and Pumyra gave strict orders to the Evil Chaser outside the cheetah's room to let no one in.

Lion-O convened a meeting of the ThunderCats and Evil Chasers after breakfast. Willa and Nada were well enough to travel and the Warrior Maidens would be leaving once they had all their possessions. Commander Tiberius offered them a transport ride home, which they graciously accepted. Snowman said that he and Snowmeow had to get back to Hook Mountain and he promised to let them know if they ran across Red-Eye. Lion-O thanked all their friends for their help.

"Robear said the Berbils would stay put until the Lair was back up and running while the Wollos and Balkans have headed home as well," Tygra told the group.

"Good. How are the wounded?" Lion-O asked.

"Most are mobile again and can be watched by their own doctors now. Shay and Bol are recovering well. Thanks to Lady Pumyra, we were able to help save Shay's leg," Commander Tiberius gladly reported.

"I was concerned given her skin color but I'm glad that it worked out," the puma smiled.

"You did a fantastic job. Even one of the survivors of Thundera said so," the Commander said.

"Who do you have up there? I know you've been playing coy with us because you were running background checks and wellness checks but I think you can spill the beans now," Panthro told him.

"Quite right but Lion-O ordered me to keep them safe until Red-Eye had been dealt with," Tiberius reminded him.

"Well I think names will be fine to give Commander. I do thank you for your help," the King said.

"Very well. The one I mentioned earlier is Doctor Leanna, a lioness. The Captain is a liger by the name of Samson. His first mate, Torr, is a panther. They were able to rescue ten Cats from the planet's surface – a family of four lynxes, a family of four tigers, and two cheetahs, one male, one female. I have a list of their names," Tiberius pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lion-O. He read it and his face went a little white.

"What is it?" Slythe asked.

"Did the male cheetah say anything to you when you mentioned the ThunderCats?" The lion wanted to know, his question directed at the Commander.

"No, why?" Tiberius was confused.

"Because that name on the list could be Cheetara's fiancé. We all thought him dead and she's been cursing herself for not trying harder to find him before we left," Panthro responded having looked over Lion-O's shoulder at the list.

"It's my fault. Jaga said that we needed to get me and the Sword off the planet. I was the last in the line of royals and the only other wielder of the Sword, other than Jaga," the lion said.

"Hardly your fault. You were a cub and we all knew what we had to do the minute we became ThunderCats. Duty always comes first. Cheetara would never hold it against you," Tygra spoke up.

"Well perhaps he is not her fiancé. How popular was that name amongst cheetahs?" Slythe suggested, having no idea about such things.

"I have no idea but I'm the only one who met him so I think a trip to the ship is in order. If it's not him, then it's just a horrible coincidence," Panthro said.

"And if it's him?" Mandora asked. She had been reinstated; the autopsy and witness testimony had cleared her.

"Then I interrogate the other cheetah and see if there is any hanky panky going on," the panther told them.

"That may need to wait. I'm getting word from a patrol. They may have picked up Red-Eye's trail," Tiberius said.


	15. Chapter 15

"How do you suppose he got away from us last time?" Lion-O asked as the ThunderTank rumbled along, heading toward the nearby forest.

"My only guess would be the Ancient Spirits of Evil. We had that pyramid double covered," Slythe said.

"I did not feel their power but then again they were busy trying to distract me from keeping the Enchanted Golden Helmet of Pharnoor on my head, so it is possible they helped him escape," Wizz-Ra admitted.

"He must be their new champion then right?" Mandora wanted to know.

"Sounds about right. How was Ma-Mutt this morning? He seem any better?" Slythe asked.

"For being an ever-living creature, he didn't look so good," Ben-Gali told them from the front seat.

"Then his power is draining and the Ancient Spirits of Evil have given up on saving him," Slythe said.

"Well we'll do the best we can to help him. Meantime, we need to take down Red-Eye and then get the Lair back up and running," Lion-O said.

"With the Ancient Spirits of Evil helping him, that Lunatak will be even harder to defeat," Slythe frowned.

"Wouldn't he then need to return to the pyramid?" Panthro asked as he slowed the Tank down as they approached the Evil Chaser transport's position.

"Not necessarily. The Ancient Ones could put their power into something he keeps on him. He did not sell his eternal soul like Mumm-Ra did. All he has done was pledge allegiance," Wizz-Ra pointed out.

"Lovely," Commander Tiberius said.

"Evil Chaser transport niner niner delta, this is the ThunderTank. Come in. Over," Panthro tried to radio their allies. He frowned when he got nothing over the air waves.

"I say again. Evil Chaser transport niner niner delta, this is the ThunderTank. Come in. Over," this time someone responded.

"Evil Chaser transport niner niner delta reading you ThunderTank," the voice sounded nervous and that made the panther question what was going on. That's when he heard the Sword growl from the backseat.

"Trouble afoot on the transport," Panthro said. Ben-Gali quickly ran a thermal scan of the ship and confirmed his suspicions. Lion-O poked his head through to the front seat and said,

"Looks like Red-Eye knew we were coming. The Sword showed me injured officers on board the transport."

"I've got Evil Chasers down inside the transport. Mandora, radio for backup," Commander Tiberius ordered. The blonde nodded and quickly called for backup from the battle cruiser. They were coming but they were twenty minutes out.

Lion-O gave Panthro a smirk and the panther nodded before turning on the external speakers on the ThunderTank.

"Red-Eye! We know you're in there! Come out with your hands up or we're coming in to get you!" The panther announced. The radio crackled to life and this time it was the Lunatak on the line,

"I wish you luck in getting me from the ground without harming these Evil Chasers on board." The engine on the transport revved to life and it began to lift off the ground.

"We need to fire on one of the engines! He leaves this planet and those on board are dead!" Lion-O told them. Ben-Gali opened the back hatch and the laser cannon popped up. The lion jumped to the controls, aimed, and fired.


	16. Chapter 16

Lion-O's aim was true and the right engine exploded causing the ship to heave and head for the ground. Wizz-Ra stepped in, chanting in his ancient tongue, the ship was suddenly floating in the air – a condition that would not be possible given the current situation. Panthro drove the ThunderTank up next to it as the wizard set the ship down.

"Come out with your hands up! You're not getting away this time!" Ben-Gali shouted over the Tank's external speakers. The Sword of Omens growled and Lion-O shook his head.

"I think we'd better go to him. Time to force open the doors," the lion said. Panthro quickly pushed a button and a large projectile, which had a rope attached to it, left the front of the Tank. The projectile penetrated the main door and then a clunk was heard. The panther quickly pressed a second button and the rope began to retract.

Groaning sounds were heard as the metal door was slowly pulled away from its frame. Under the stress and the strain, it soon buckled and snapped off of the vehicle. Ben-Gali, Lion-O, and Mandora leapt out of the Tank and reached the door before anyone came out.

"It's over Red-Eye! Come out!" Lion-O bellowed. He didn't wait for a response and charged into the vehicle. Ben-Gali and Mandora followed; their weapons at the ready. A laser beam shot at them followed by disc, which narrowly missed Lion-O's head.

"Guess he's not coming quietly," Mandora muttered.

"Not so fast. This might flush him out," the lion winked and then called to the Sword,

"Thunder… Thunder… Thunder… ThunderCats HO!" The ThunderCats Signal filled the transport and suddenly they heard shouting from inside. Without saying a word, the Lord of the ThunderCats charged ahead and Ben-Gali and Mandora quickly followed him.

The group soon found Red-Eye near the controls of the transport holding his eyes. The bright light from the ThunderCat Signal had temporarily given them the edge and quickly Lion-O and Ben-Gali tackled him. With a sudden burst of strength, the Lunatak threw them off of him. Not having been able to do that before, Lion-O knew they were in trouble.

"You're not playing very nice," the sound of Slythe's voice made everyone look back near the door that had been broken off.

"Should have known I'd be betrayed by a Mutant – I just didn't expect it to be you. Gone soft have you?" Red-Eye glared at him.

"Hardly. If anyone is going to rule this planet, it should be me," Slythe smirked and lifted his battle axe.

"That's the Slythe I know. Together we can take this planet. These Evil Chasers won't trifle with me now that I have shown them what I can do," Red-Eye smirked.

"Seems he doesn't listen too well does he whelp?" Slythe chuckled, looking at Lion-O.

"Especially when the Ancient Spirits of Evil would rather have the Enchanted Golden Helmet of Pharnoor than you," Wizz-Ra was right behind the Mutant. Before anyone could do anything more, the ancient wizard chanted in the ancient language of his birth. The spell cast forth from Wizz-Ra's hands hit Red-Eye square in the chest and it forced him to his knees.

"Bind him! Quickly!" The wizard bellowed. Mandora made a move, wondering if her cuffs would work when Slythe stepped forward and conked the Lunatak on the head with the butt of his battle axe. Red-Eye slumped to the floor and Wizz-Ra stopped the spell.

"Put these on. I'll look for the larger power dampening cuffs. We're going to need all the help we can get with the Ancient Spirits of Evil in him," Mandora handed her regular cuffs to Lion-O, who quickly clamped them onto Red-Eye's wrists.

"We better attend to the wounded. The Commander says the reinforcements are only minutes out," Wizz-Ra told them.

"I'll sit on the prisoner until you get those cuffs. The less surprises the better," Slythe said to the Evil Chaser. He literally went up to Red-Eye and sat on his torso, effectively immobilizing the Lunatak.

"That's one way to do it," Ben-Gali smirked before he headed toward the nearest Evil Chaser, who was lying on the floor of the transport. Mandora was back moments later and Slythe helped her get the cuffs on Red-Eye near his elbows.

"Keep an eye on him. How many Evil Chasers are still with us?" Mandora shouted out and was surprised to hear the words "I am First Class" from most of the crew. Given Red-Eye's enhanced abilities, the blonde was surprised but pleased.

"You all earned your stripes today. Medical help is on the way," she promised them. Wizz-Ra approached her jerked his head toward the door, indicating that they needed a moment alone. She nodded and headed toward the door.

"What is it?" She asked.

"The poor boy that was on the radio has been killed. Red-Eye must have snapped his neck. The others are worse for wear but they'll survive," he said.

"Son of a bitch," Mandora swore and quickly headed toward the radio seat. There was the lifeless body of Officer Inglethorpe, still strapped into his seat. He'd never even got the chance to pull his weapon from its holster.

"He died a hero. Make sure his family knows that," Lion-O told her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Tell that to his mother," Mandora heaved a sigh.


	17. Chapter 17

The Evil Chasers had been sent to the battle cruiser for medical help and Red-Eye had gone with them. Double sets of power dampening cuffs and a spell that Wizz-Ra had cast on the Lunatak was all they could do to make sure he couldn't escape. Commander Tiberius had radioed Captain Bragg and warned him of the developments. The Circus Train driver doubled his fee and Tiberius didn't blame him.

While the Evil Chasers worked to get rid of the Lunatak, Slythe, Lion-O, and Panthro went out to the black pyramid. They had brought Ma-Mutt with them. The horrible hound was looking and feeling better and seemed to be happy to go in the ThunderTank for a ride.

"So much for a demon dog," Slythe chuckled as Ma-Mutt had his head out the ThunderTank's passenger side.

"Right? I guess he just needed a little TLC," Lion-O chuckled.

"You think this is a good idea?" Panthro interjected.

"I think the only way we can break the hold the Ancient Spirits of Evil have on Red-Eye," the lion told him.

"Once the statues are damaged, their power wanes. We blow them up and…" Slythe let the thought hang there.

"What will happen to Ma-Mutt if we do that?" Lion-O asked.

"The Ancient Spirits of Evil released him. That's why he was in such a state when we found him. I would think nothing will happen at all. As a dog, he could not turn over his own soul. Mumm-Ra forced him by being his owner. You're his new owner now so if anything the Sword may protect him," the reptile shrugged. That seemed to make sense to the lion.

"We're in position," Panthro told them.

"Ok, blast us a hole. Then we lay the explosives," Lion-O said.

"Aye, aye," the panther nodded. He pressed a button on the ThunderTank's control panel and a missile shot out of the vehicle's paw. The explosion that followed opened a very large hole in the pyramid.

"Don't dork around in there. Drop those bombs with the fuses and get the hell out," the panther ordered.

"Oh don't worry about that," Slythe said as he and Lion-O climbed out of the Tank and grabbed the bags while Panthro held onto Ma-Mutt's collar, preventing him from jumping out of the Tank. The former ever-living dog didn't fight him but the panther got the distinct feeling that even if Ma-Mutt did, it wouldn't be much of a fight. It seemed that Slythe was right.

"Should be good to go," Lion-O said as he and Slythe reentered the Tank twenty minutes later.

"Strap in. This could get messy," Panthro told them as he closed the back of the vehicle up. He sent Ma-Mutt into the back of the Tank and the mutt climbed up on the seat next to Lion-O. The lion buckled him in as Panthro sealed up the front of the tank.

"Fire in the hole!" Slythe shouted as he pressed the button on the remote. They waited a few seconds and then the sound of the explosion reached them. A cloud of dust went up as the pyramid began to sink into the desert sands that it once sprang up from.

"That should do it but…" Panthro pressed a second button and the last missile from the front of the Tank left and slammed into the pile of rubble.

"A job well done. Let's head for home," Lion-O said. Panthro quickly revved the engines and the ThunderTank began to head back to the temporary base.

"So what is next?" Slythe asked.

"We've got a few things on our plate," the lion admitted, knowing now that there was no reason the Thunderian survivors should stay aboard the Evil Chasers' ship.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning Commander Tiberius relayed that Red-Eye had been transferred to the Circus Train and seemed to be back to his usual self, thanks to the destruction of the black pyramid. Lion-O had been glad to hear it and asked that the Thunderian survivors be transferred to the planet's surface. The Commander agreed and promised to have them down as soon as he could.

Panthro had wanted to go up to the ship and question the cat called Kimoni but Lion-O had decided against it. They did not need to stick their noses in Cheetara's business. At any rate, they would all stop and see their King before they went anywhere else on the planet, so that meant Panthro could check him out then. If he did not recognize him then there was no worry, just a horrible coincidence.

"So are you going to bring him to meetings and everything?" Tygra asked as Lion-O sat down at the conference room table. Panthro and Tygra had joined him and Ma-Mutt had plopped down on the floor near the lion's feet.

"Jealous?" The lion chuckled.

"Hey the poor dog just got freed from Jaga knows how many years of forced servitude, cut him some slack," Panthro spoke up. Tygra eyed both of them but said nothing.

"King Lion-O, Lord Panthro, and Lord Tygra, may I introduce Captain Samson and his crew," Commander Tiberius announced from the doorway of the conference room. The Captain moved into the room and bowed his head, while the others filed in behind him.

"It is a great honor, your Highness," Samson said.

"I hear that you and your crew bravely assisted others off of Thundera and I commend you for it. I am glad that you have found your way to Third Earth," Lion-O smiled.

"We are glad to be here," Samson smiled back.

"As you can see, we're a little under prepared for you visit but we had some trouble with the Lunataks. The Lair is being checked out and for the time being, everyone is staying here in our camp. The Evil Chasers hope to have a solution to our troubles and hopefully we can get everyone set up permanently before winter," the lion said.

"We have just spent a long journey on a ship that was not in the best condition, this will be a vast improvement sire," the liger smirked.

"Good. Now if I can put names to faces, we can then adjourn for a meal and you can meet the rest of the ThunderCats," Lion-O said. Samson bowed and moved off to the side before his first mate stepped forward, followed by the rest.

"My first mate, Torr, and the good Doctor Leanna, round out the crew. We were on a refueling mission when the planet began to be in distress. We turned around and headed back to base, hoping to help anyone we could. We rescued the Ceylans (the lynxes), the Hamdis (the tigers), Kimoni, and Nkiru," Samson told them.

"Very nice to meet you all. Now, if you follow Lord Tygra, he'll show you to where we can all get a meal," Lion-O smiled and let the tiger take the group out of the room.

"Is it him?" He asked Panthro.

"Brace yourself kid. Pretty sure it's him. He looked right at me and it seemed like he recognized me. He looks a lot like him too," the panther said.

"Should we approach him or should we see if Cheetara recognizes him?" Lion-O swallowed.

"Let's determine what kind of relationship there is between him and Nkiru first. If it's him and he's moved on, I can't bear telling Cheetara that. Better he tell her," Panthro told him.

"If he doesn't mention her, I think we should pull him aside," the lion said.

"Agreed. Come on," the panther nodded.


	19. Chapter 19

The meal had gone well but Lion-O and Panthro were no further along in their investigation, though they did notice some moments that seemed to indicate Nkiru and Kimoni were more than friends. So they quickly pulled Kimoni aside as everyone was leaving breakfast, heading to their temporary quarters. Panthro could see that the lion was not sure how to go about this so he started.

"This may seem like an odd question, considering we just met, but were you engaged before the destruction of Thundera?" The panther wondered.

"I was," Kimoni said, wondering where this was going. Internally, Lion-O's heart fell. The next part was going to be interesting.

"To Lady Cheetara of the ThunderCats?" Panthro pressed. At this point, the cheetah's eyes went wide.

"She's alive?" He asked, he seemed completely shocked and the panther steadied him from slumping against the wall.

"She is. Just recovering from some injuries. Before we take you to her, though, we need to know some things," Lion-O finally spoke up.

"Of course. What do you need to know?" Kimoni seemed more receptive to them now.

"Your intentions. We are no longer the complete society we used to be. For all we know, we are the last of our kind, which means we need to live in harmony. No one would blame you if you had given up hope that Cheetara was still alive. If you and Nkiru are an item, then all we ask is that you tell Cheetara that. The news should not come from anyone else. I figure you two at least owe each other that," the King said.

"Had she given up hope that I was alive?" The cheetah asked.

"No. It was only a short time before you arrived in our air space that she even thought of moving on. This is not something she readily talks about so when she finally decided something it was a major moment for her. None of us wants to see her hurt. All that we are asking for is honesty and for you to handle things as soon as possible," Panthro told him. Kimoni seemed to absorb everything and heaved a sigh.

"I need a little time to process everything before I see her," he admitted.

"Completely understandable," the panther said, though Kimoni seemed to sense that Panthro wasn't the patient type. That's when an Evil Chaser approached them.

"King Lion-O, Lady Cheetara is asking for you. She seems rather insistent sir," Corporal Simmons told him.

"I'll be right there. Is everything all right?" He asked, concerned that maybe her medical condition was causing her some trouble.

"Truth be told, I don't really know. I didn't want to pry, sir," Simmons explained.

"You're a good man Corporal. I'll head to see her now," the lion smiled and then quickly excused himself. Heading down the hall, his thoughts were racing. He wanted in the worst way to tell the cheetah that her former fiancé was alive and well but he knew he couldn't.

"Hey, are you…?" Lion-O didn't finish as he found Ma-Mutt sitting on the cheetah's bed getting a scratch behind the ears.

"That's where you went off to," he chuckled.

"Imagine my surprise," Cheetara said.

"Well he kind of follows me wherever I go now. The Ancient Spirits of Evil released him in an attempt to make Red-Eye their new champion. Mumm-Ra must have been quite mean to the poor guy. At any rate, I'm guessing that you didn't want to see me because of Ma-Mutt," Lion-O got to the heart of the matter.

"Have the survivors been brought to us?" She asked.

"They have been. They all seem in good spirits," he wasn't going to elaborate. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to press the matter but then abruptly changed the subject,

"What are you going to do about Slythe?" The cheetah wanted to know.

"He's helping round up Monkian and Jackalman with the Evil Chasers. Then Wizz-Ra offered to run him through some spells so we can get the truth. After that, I'll make my decision. He has been helpful and he does seem genuine. I can't see what he gets out of turning tail on his fellow Mutants so that is a bit tricky but we'll figure it out, we always do," he smiled.

"Be careful Lion-O. I know that you want to see good in people, even if it might not exist," Cheetara cautioned him.

"I'll be careful. Now, I need to check in with the scientists, unless you need something else," he said.

"I think I'm good for now," her smile didn't quite reach her eyes like it normally did and when Ma-Mutt went to make a move to follow the lion he told him to keep the cheetah company.


	20. Chapter 20

"What have you got for me Dr. Schwartz?" Lion-O asked as he walked into the lab. The Evil Chasers had established a high tech laboratory in the same type of temporary housing that the rest of the camp was currently housed.

"Ah King Lion-O, we've been able to establish the soil still seems solid but the added weight of the Lair and the shift caused by our dead Lunatak, has left some structural issues for the building," Schwartz explained. He was humanoid like Mandora but at least ten years older and had greying hair. A doctor of science, his specialty was geology. His team included civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical engineers as well as architects and a few more geologists.

"Fixable issues?" The lion wondered.

"The structural engineers are working on it. I'm afraid that we won't be able to be have the Lair back up and running before winter. Evil Chaser command has been notified and they are sending more sturdy housing for the colder months," Schwartz explained.

"Winter is three months away – that's not enough time?" Lion-O was surprised.

"If we get it wrong, it won't matter. There are a lot of variables and we want to be right," the geologist told him.

"I agree, always better safe than sorry. I guess I was just hoping for better," the King admitted.

"I am sorry that the news isn't better but we're a little out of our depth given the fact that the weights of everything that were changed because of the gravity carbine," Schwartz said.

"One last parting gift," Lion-O frowned.

"Indeed," the doctor shook his head.

"I thank you and your team for everything you are doing. We very much appreciate your help," the King told him.

"We are glad to help. I will keep you posted," Schwartz promised. Lion-O nodded and then wished the man a good day. He headed out of the housing unit and was met by Mandora.

"Good news?" She asked.

"Not particularly," he said and quickly explained the situation.

"Well then good thing I have some news. Monkian and Jackalman have been rounded up. Captain Bragg is on his way to escort them to their new home. All that is left is to deal with Slythe," the blonde told him.

"Is Wizz-Ra ready?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"He is. The question is, are you?" She wondered.

"Let's go," he nodded. The headed back to the main tent and were met by Commander Tiberius, Wizz-Ra, and Slythe. The group then headed into the conference room.

"I hear things went well. Congratulations," Lion-O smiled.

"It did go well but now I figure it won't go well for me," Slythe admitted.

"That depends on what happens next," the lion told him.

"Slythe, I want you to have a seat," Wizz-Ra instructed. The reptile sat down and the ancient wizard began to chant in his native tongue. Slythe's eyes closed and he seemed to be in a trance.

"You're going to answer my questions truthfully. Lie and the spell will tell me. Do you understand?" Wizz-Ra asked.

"Yes," the reptile replied.

"Good, then let us begin," the wizard said.


	21. Chapter 21

They questioned Slythe for hours. Finally, Lion-O called a halt to the questioning and said that everyone needed a break. The Mutant was brought out of his trance and he seemed exhausted. He was told to get some food and rest while Lion-O decided what to do next.

The group split up and headed for their own little corners, needing to process what they had heard. Lion-O normally would have climbed to the Cat's Head but with that option unavailable, he headed for the edge of camp and the moat. Sitting near the ledge, he looked out at the darkened Lair, the sun sinking behind the building.

"Jaga what should I do?" He asked, knowing the wise elder would probably not answer him. This was a King's decision and only he could make it.

"I wondered where you would go after the meeting broke up. Should have known that all I'd have to do is let Ma-Mutt find you," the voice behind him, made him turn.

"They let you out?" Lion-O found Cheetara in a wheelchair, being pushed by none other than Corporal Simmons. Ma-Mutt barked a little and settled down next to the King, wagging his tail.

"I snuck her out sir. First Class will have my ass if she finds out, if you beg pardon, sir," the corporal said.

"You're a good man Corporal," the lion smirked.

"So I've been told, sir," he winked and then took off back toward the temporary shelters.

"We should give him a job if he loses his," Cheetara said.

"Agreed but I'm guessing that's not why you had him push you out here as it gets dark," Lion-O said.

"I told him to follow Ma-Mutt. Poochy here, did the rest," the cheetah chuckled.

"You certainly are a good dog, aren't you boy?" The lion ruffled Ma-Mutt's fur and the dog barked.

"I'll take that as a yes," Lion-O chuckled.

"Share your burden, Lion-O. You can't keep it bottled up. It's not good for you," Cheetara said.

"That sounds familiar," he said.

"Take your own advice," she told him.

"Slythe has given up. He has nothing left to live for. That's why he helped us," Lion-O heaved a sigh and leaned up against the wheelchair.

"What do you mean?" Cheetara asked.

"He received word from Plundarr a few months back. His family was killed in an attack by the Lunataks. Apparently, the moons are still warring with the planet they orbit. The only reason Slythe kept fighting was because Mumm-Ra was still around. Once the mummy was gone, he tried to figure out what his next steps were. He finally admitted he was tired of fighting. Truth of the matter is, he hasn't grieved his loss and it's weighing on him. Slythe doesn't even care what happens to him. That is definitely not the reptile we know," Lion-O shook his head.

"We share a lot in common it seems. It does not excuse what he has done in the past though," the cheetah said.

"No it does not but his good deeds should count for something. Locking him up may lead to him doing something to himself. If I could prevent that, I can't stand by," the lion admitted.

"Certainly not. Our code holds us to a higher standard but we must balance the law with how we help," she told him.

"It is a decision that I must make on my own. I'm just not sure what the right decision is," Lion-O heaved another sigh. Cheetara patted his shoulder. She did not envy his position but she felt that she wanted to help in any way that she could. Carefully leaning down from the chair, she kissed the top of his head. Lion-O reached up and took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. They didn't notice that someone was watching them.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning brought rain and everyone was trying to stay dry. Needless to say, the Evil Chasers' housing units were up to the task and it was a relief to everyone involved. The only problem was, things were cramped. Commander Tiberius ordered more housing units to be delivered to the planet's surface and they would be installed the minute the rain let up.

"I thought I might find you with the horrible hound," Panthro said as he walked into the conference room. Lion-O had retreated there to do some research after breakfast.

"I was wondering if we needed a new name for him but I think it would be harder to learn and everyone would end up calling him Ma-Mutt anyway," the lion admitted.

"Probably right," the panther chuckled as he took a seat.

"So what brings you here? Checking up on me?" Lion-O wondered of his old friend.

"Not that you need more on your plate but I'm not seeing why the weather hasn't left Kimoni plenty of opportunity to speak to Cheetara," Panthro said.

"Give him until the rain stops. If he hasn't, then yes, we need to approach her. I dislike keeping things from people but this really isn't something where you and I can get any more involved than we already are. I really didn't want to step in before but I figured we had to, at least so Kimoni knew that Cheetara was here and alive," the lion heaved a sigh.

"Right and your feelings have nothing to do with it," the panther gave him a look.

"My feelings can mean nothing as long as her feelings do not meet. The last thing she needs is me complicating things by telling her everything," Lion-O surprisingly didn't bother to hold back.

"Truth is, if she doesn't know by now, she's as blind as Lynx-O," Panthro smirked.

"Apparently, I'm not as good as I thought with that," his younger friend shook his head.

"Hard to hide things when you are in love. Trust me. So you're trying to tackle our other problem at the moment," the panther changed the subject.

"Yes and I'm not finding much wiggle room here," Lion-O admitted.

"What kind of wiggle room are you looking for? He's a Mutant and he was charged with Piracy. Our laws don't make any exceptions for that," Panthro said. He was right, of course. The Mutants had long been attacking Thunderian ships when they left the planet and Claudus had upheld the rulings from his father before him. Acts of Piracy were treated as a capital crime. Anyone found practicing Piracy that was actually caught by Thunderians were held for trial on Thundera. Once found guilty, they were summarily executed. No appeals, no second chances, especially if they committed murder during a raid on a ship. It was why, when they thought they'd get caught, many Mutants tried to flee or they killed themselves. They would much rather die on their own terms than be told what to do by a Thunderian.

"There should be some. He helped us defeat the Lunataks, Mumm-Ra, and his own kind. Most of them will survive their trials and live out their sentences. Not exactly fair to hold Slythe to a different standard, is it?" Lion-O pointed out.

"While they all did bad things, yes, you are right. Technically, they should all be feeling steel on their necks but they won't. The Space Council gets first crack at them since they all have committed crimes across the galaxy. Of course we really don't have a penal system on this planet, so perhaps exile is an option. Let the Space Council deal with him. They want him too," Panthro said.

"Much to think about," the King heaved a sigh.

"Agreed. Now if you'll excuse me, I promised Doctor Leanna that I'd introduce her to the ThunderTank," the panther smiled.

"I thought she was a medical doctor, not a mechanic," Lion-O gave him a look.

"Apparently, she enjoys a fine piece of craftsmanship, as much as the next person," Panthro stuck out his tongue and then picked himself out of the chair.

"Have fun," Lion-O smirked as he watched his friend go.


	23. Chapter 23

Later in the day, there was a knock on the door and Lion-O bade the person to enter. He'd been mulling what to do about Slythe for the last few hours and skipped lunch. The rain had only ceased twenty minutes ago.

"You better get down to sick bay. Things are not going well," Mandora poked her head in the door.

"For who? What happened?" Lion-O bolted up from his chair. Ma-Mutt did similarly but from his place on the floor. Then he took off running.

"Better get after him," the lion said. The two started running down the hallway and everyone cleared a path. It didn't take them long to reach the sick bay, only to find Simmons holding a cheetah by the scruff of his neck.

"Corporal! What the hell is going on in here?" Mandora demanded.

"Just taking out the trash First Class," Simmons responded. He opened the nearby door and flung the cheetah out of it.

"You so much as come within a hundred feet of Lady Cheetara and you'll be finding my boot up your ass! Now get out of here before I change my mind!" With that the door was closed and cheetah was out of sight.

"You've got some explaining to do," Mandora gave him a look.

"Later. Where is Ma-Mutt?" Lion-O asked.

"He ran into Lady Cheetara's room. You'd best get in there sir," Simmons said. The King patted him on the shoulder and left the two Evil Chasers to talk. When he entered the cheetah's room, Lion-O saw Ma-Mutt sitting on Cheetara's waist, licking the obvious tears that had been running down her face. Quickly, the King retrieved the box of tissues and Ma-Mutt backed away but only to the surface of the bed.

"What happened?" Lion-O asked softly. At first Cheetara didn't say anything, she just tried to calm herself. He waited patiently and handed her a tissue.

"After all this time… I thought we had something special… I guess I was just a fool," the cheetah finally answered.

"The only fool is the one the Corporal threw out of the building. You are amazing and you deserve someone who will treat you like a queen. I'm sorry if he said something to upset you. I had no idea it would go like that," Lion-O admitted. Whatever Kimoni had said, it wasn't a simple "I'm in love with someone else". Simmons would not have interfered if it was.

"What do you mean?" She looked at him.

"Panthro confirmed that Kimoni was one of the survivors but it was obvious that he'd moved on with the other cheetah survivor on the ship. I didn't want to interfere but Panthro said we needed to tell him that you were alive. We told him and told him he had a decision to make. If I had realized he'd burst in here and say something that hurt you, I… I honestly don't know what I would have done," the lion figured he was going to get slapped at a minimum but the slap never came. A deep sigh came first and then her hand gently cradled his right cheek.

"You cannot protect me from everything Lion-O. No matter how much you want to. Life is full of moments that catch us off guard, that upset us, and that make us question everything, otherwise it wouldn't be called life," Cheetara smiled slightly, patting his cheek, before pulling her hand away.

"Doesn't mean I can't try," the lion told her, missing the warmth immediately.

"I know and I love you for it but you'd better catch Panthro before he hears about this. Kimoni and I may not be meant for each other anymore but he doesn't deserve to be beaten within an inch of his life either," she said. The lion would have been surprised at how forgiving she was being if the first part of the sentence wasn't still ringing in his ears.

"He's out on a date with Doctor Leanna. They've been gone awhile," he just realized.

"Just the same, you cut him off at the pass. We can talk later," she promised.

"Ma-Mutt, you stay here. I'll be back," Lion-O told his new faithful dog. Then he leaned over and kissed Cheetara on the forehead before heading out of the room. Tears slipped down the cheetah's cheeks again, her composure slipping once again. Ma-Mutt nudged himself under her arm, letting her know he was there for her.

"I don't deserve him," she said quietly, patting the former Horrible Hound. Kimoni's words rang out in her head. He'd seen her kiss Lion-O's head – seen him hold her hand. He'd called her a liar. She hadn't waited for him. Then he'd called her a slut. That's when Simmons had busted into the room because he'd heard shouting and the slur. Kimoni hadn't even let her explain. He wasn't interested in explanations only blame.

"You deserve to be happy and if Lion-O makes you happy then…," Mandora was standing in the doorway. She had decided against reading Corporal Simmons the riot act after she'd heard what happened. Cheetara wiped her cheeks and was about to object when the Evil Chaser said,

"Don't make the same mistake I did."


	24. Chapter 24

"I'm giving you a direct order. You are to stand down. We knew it might come to something like this so there is no point in making the situation worse. Besides, Cheetara doesn't want a hair on his head harmed," Lion-O managed to corral Panthro after telling him what happened when the panther returned a little while later. The lion was glad he'd caught him out at the makeshift hangar and not inside the main structures. Doctor Leanna was watching everything unfold and couldn't help but speak up.

"I think it best you do what your King is asking of you. While I'm sure that it doesn't seem like it now, it is best we all try to get along as best as possible. If we are the last of our kind, we need to be civilized to one another," the lioness reminded him.

"I can't believe you're siding with him!" Panthro said.

"He is your King and as such, his word goes. Besides, don't you think if anyone has first crack at the idiot, it should be him?" Leanna pointed out. That calmed Panthro down and the two men looked at her.

"I mean no offense Doctor but why do you think I want a crack at him?" He asked.

"As a ship's doctor, I have to wear many hats. Analyzing behavior is one of them. As much as you try to hide your feelings my King, I could tell something was bothering you. Upon hearing what has happened, my guess is that Lady Cheetara is important to you. Panthro is an old and best friend but you, are different," Leanna said.

"You got all of that from my behavior?" Lion-O was skeptical.

"Well and a little birdy, who shall remain nameless," the lioness smirked.

"You're quite good Doctor," the King smirked back.

"Now why don't you go spend time with your lady and find out what really happened and I'll make sure no one goes off half-cocked," Leanna offered, giving Panthro a look.

"You think you can take him?" Lion-O was impressed considering she probably had no idea that Panthro was a master martial artist.

"My Kamas are not just for show, your Highness," she smirked again.

"Please, I think you've earned the right to call me Lion-O," he smiled and then left the two alone.

"So you think you can take me?" Panthro was intrigued.

"Well I'd put up a hell of a fight but you'd probably end up beating me. Master Yoshida knew a day would come when I would have to fight someone who was stronger than myself. It is why he gave me the Kamas," Leanna explained.

"You knew Master Yoshida?" Panthro couldn't believe it.

"Yes. He taught me for many years before I needed to head off to college and become a doctor," she said.

"You and I need to talk," the panther said.

"We did not do much talking in the ThunderTank," she chuckled.

"No we did not but I think we should now," Panthro told her. He led her off to his private quarters so they could have some privacy.

Meanwhile, Lion-O never made it to see Cheetara. He was stopped in the hallway by Commander Tiberius, who looked concerned. Lion-O pulled the man aside into the conference room so they could talk.

"What is it Commander?" The lion wanted to know.

"The Space Council wants to know of your decision regarding Slythe. They're concerned that your judgement won't be clear given what he's done for you and Third Earth," Tiberius told him.

"Tell them that Slythe will be staying here to serve out his sentence. He is my burden and I will take care of it. If they are so worried then perhaps they should clean up the situation between Plundarr and her moons," Lion-O was not upset at the Commander. He was only doing what was asked of him.

"I will give them your position," he said.

"Much appreciated. I don't mean to be upset but the decision I have to make is not easy and right now I'm trying to find a solution that everyone can live with," the King told him.

"I understand. A King's shoulders are often heavy with the weight of the world," Tiberius smiled slightly. Lion-O was about to say something else when they were interrupted by a pounding on the door. The lion quickly opened the door.

"Sir, we have a situation," it was Corporal Simmons.

"What now?" Commander Tiberius wanted to know.

"Lady Pumyra is trying to stop Slythe from doing something stupid," Simmons explained.


	25. Chapter 25

"Slythe! What are you doing?" Lion-O wanted to know as he approached the Mutant and Pumyra. She looked like she was struggling to get him to listen and despite the history between the Mutants and Thunderians, she was really trying to stop him from doing something stupid.

"Why do you guys care? One would think you'd want me gone. Of course, we all know the punishment that Thundera used to enforce for my kind," Slythe pointed out. He was standing near the edge of the moat, facing it. A few more inches and the long plunge to certain death would be guaranteed. It wouldn't have been his first choice but it would be an irreversible decision.

"I have yet to make up my mind. I told the Space Council to leave you to me. You've turned a corner. Don't go back now. You can still have a life. You owe your family to live as they would want you to," Lion-O said. Slythe whirled around.

"You have big brass ones whelp. What do you know about my family? You and yours think we're all the same. You have the audacity to speak of my family?" The reptile demanded.

"You aren't the only one who has lost those they care about. My father sacrificed himself so that I and others would live. He was all I had left after my mother passed. I was a young boy who needed his father. Instead I was raised by those that survived with me. They are my family. Family comes in all forms and while new families cannot replace the old ones, they can be the one thing that makes living worthwhile. All I'm asking for is a chance to show you that. Give me that time. At the end, if you still don't believe me, then you may make your own choice," the King hoped he was getting to him. Slythe gave him a look and then nodded. Pumyra put a hand on his shoulder and led him off the edge.

"I know that Wizz-Ra brought up some things that you didn't get the chance to process. Let me help you process," she said, as they walked back toward the Med Bay.

"Why would you do that?" Slythe asked.

"To help you, of course. Why else?" The puma gave him a smile. He smiled slightly. In that moment, she reminded him of his wife. She had been the only one who understood him and the only one who he could tell everything to. Slythe was more complicated than everyone thought and perhaps it was time to let them see.

"That was close," Lion-O heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'll say," Commander Tiberius shook his head.

"He never struck me as the kind to do it. I always figured he'd go down swinging," Mandora said. She'd joined the group when she'd heard all of the shouting. A good number of others had followed her.

"Well if the Space Council asks, I'll say he's non compos mentis," Tiberius said.

"Please do. He never got to grieve and it's definitely changed him. For good or not, will have to be determined at a later date," Lion-O told them. The Commander clapped him on the shoulder and turned to go. The rest of the group had dispersed just leaving Lion-O and Mandora.

"Go talk to her," the blonde said.

"I was trying. Every time I turn around something else is going on," Lion-O knew who she was talking about.

"Good. I have some business to attend to," Mandora smiled and then left the King alone. Heaving a sigh, the lion turned and headed back inside. There he found Ma-Mutt waiting for him. He raised an eyebrow and the dog jerked his head toward Cheetara's room.

"That obvious huh?" He asked the dog. Ma-Mutt barked.

"I really need to work on my poker face," Lion-O chuckled as he knocked on the door frame and Cheetara bade him to enter. The lion closed the door behind him and took a seat next to her bed.

Meanwhile, Mandora's business had her making her way through the camp. Panthro poked his head out of his quarters and saw her stalking through the hallway. He could tell she was on a mission.

"Who weed in her Wheaties?" Leanna asked.

"Oh I have some ideas. Best we let her be," Panthro said.

"Are you scared of her?" Leanna gave him a look.

"You would be too if you knew her," the panther chuckled.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one will be wrapping up soon. Thanks for being along for the ride!

The next morning Lion-O was making his rounds to check up on everyone. The final person to visit was Dr. Schwartz but first he visited Slythe. The reptile had actually apologized for his behavior to which the King had practically fallen over. Mutants never apologized. He was even more convinced that Slythe was broken. Pumyra had pulled Lion-O aside and admitted that she needed help. While she was a competent doctor, she was no psychologist. The King promised to speak to Leanna and then ask Commander Tiberius if need be. Pumyra seemed to agree with that course of action and thanked him.

While heading to visit Cheetara, he bumped into Tygra. The tiger said that he'd like it if the cheetah would get out and get some fresh air. He was worried that she could get pneumonia and Lion-O promised to take her out and bring Ma-Mutt with them. He figured it would do them all some good to get some exercise. Tygra said that Cheetara could get out of her wheelchair but no running and no stressful activity. Her ribs were almost healed but not quite. Her legs would be out of the casts soon but then she'd need physical therapy to rebuild her muscle tone. Lion-O promised to make sure they didn't do anything crazy.

"Dr. Schwartz, I'm back to bug you," Lion-O said as he approached the man in the lab.

"Bug me away your Highness," the geologist smiled.

"What have you found?" The King asked.

"The structural guys think they have it pinned. We're running some simulations. If the simulations go well, we'll try an actual test of the solution on the mountain. High Command says the sturdier housing should be here in three days," Schwartz told him.

"Well that sounds good. Let me know if you could use Panthro or Ben-Gali's help," Lion-O smiled.

"Will do," the geologist said. The two shook hands and then the King headed out to go to Cheetara. However, once again, he would be delayed in getting there.

"You had better come with me," Panthro said.

"Why? What's going on?" Lion-O grew concerned. The panther had this look on his face and instead of asking more question, the lion just followed him. The two soon exited the temporary housing to find Mandora speaking to Commander Tiberius.

"Fellas," the blonde acknowledged them.

"What's going on?" Lion-O asked.

"Yesterday, I confronted Kimoni regarding his behavior. Made it clear that Corporal Simmons' promise was one we'd be enforcing. That seemed to be the end of it but this morning Nkiru came running into the main dining room. Kimoni is missing and no one seems to know where he went," Mandora said.

"No security camera feed? Any signs of a struggle?" Panthro asked.

"No on both accounts. The cameras aren't inside the personal quarters. They're only around the important equipment. We figured we had all the baddies," Commander Tiberius shook his head.

"What do you think happened to him?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"No idea. We're having the battle cruiser run planetary scans," Mandora said.

"Did he say why he reacted the way he did when you talked to him?" Lion-O asked.

"Nkiru said he was acting weird. Apparently when they first got together, that they talked about the loved ones they'd lost. She knew about Cheetara and said that both of them had seemingly moved on, figuring everyone was dead. Maybe she had and maybe he hadn't," Tiberius shrugged.

"I guess the only thing to do is wait for the scan to come back. Keep me posted," Lion-O said.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only an epilogue to go!

Weeks passed – the sturdier temporary housing had been built and people shuffled around. The structural engineers had completed their simulations and even tried their ideas on the mountain. Boring into cavities that had been found within the mountain, they blasted a special type of hydraulic cement into the open spaces, along with more rock. The cement hardened quickly and would support the weight of the mountain around it. The boring hole was filled with rock and then sealed with more hydraulic cement. The intention was to leave the fix over the winter – the planet's worst season – to see what the temperature swings and added snow load would do. The construction work was then set in motion. All the outdoor work needed to be done before the interior work before the weather turned. Fall was in full swing and the first snow was right around the corner when the exterior work was completed. The interior work would span most of the winter so Lion-O was glad that the sturdier housing had been delivered and installed.

"I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped us get the Lair back into some sort of shape. I know that there is more work to be done but tonight we need to celebrate all that has been accomplished. Please eat and drink and enjoy," Lion-O smiled at the crowd that had assembled in the dining room. There were Berbils, Evil Chasers, Dr. Schwartz and his team, Slythe, and all the Thunderians – well almost all of them. Kimoni had never been found. No one could explain it. Commander Tiberius was running planetary heat scans for the cheetah's biometrics, which they had on file. There was nothing. No heat signature seemed to indicate that Kimoni was dead but as a favor to Nkiru, no one had fully given up hope of finding him. Nkiru was heartbroken but Cheetara had let her lean on her and the two had become good friends.

"You look lovely tonight," Lion-O whispered to Cheetara at the dinner table. She sat next to him on his right. To his left was Commander Tiberius, who was sitting next to Mandora.

"In this old thing? We're lucky that our uniforms were able to be retrieved. The one I was wearing had to be thrown out after they cut the leg off for my cast," the cheetah chuckled, commenting about her regular uniform that was in one piece. She was finally back at full strength and back on duty.

"You aren't kidding. Having to shower in my uniform was getting uncomfortable," Lion-O joked. Every night just before bed, clothes were washed and dried for the next day. That usually meant sleeping in loose clothes that the Evil Chasers loaned them or in the nude.

"You're terrible," Cheetara laughed, her hand playfully batted at his forearm.

"Hey, none of that in public," Panthro teased them from his seat next to Cheetara. Doctor Leanna was next to him.

"Please! Ben-Gali and Pumyra have been goo-goo eyeing each other for like twenty minutes," Lion-O joked.

"Well they are getting married so…" Panthro pointed out. The tiger had proposed to the puma not long after her help rescuing Slythe from certain death, even though they had never been on an actual date. Lynx-O had been telling them he wanted grandkids.

"Very true. She didn't even hesitate when he asked. I suppose they have been closer than we realized before their rescue," Lion-O said.

"Emotional constipation," Cheetara smirked.

"What now?" Commander Tiberius overheard that last part.

"Something males seem to get around the women they like," the cheetah smirked and Mandora's cheeks turned red.

"Ah I see. A Thunderian problem?" Tiberius asked.

"I don't think so – seems pretty it's contagious," Cheetara chuckled and then excused herself from the table. Lion-O had a look on his face that could only be described as pure confusion.

"Pretty sure she's talking about you dude," Panthro couldn't help himself as he noticed how Mandora's cheeks were red. Lea had been watching the whole exchange in earnest.

"If I ran a private practice, you guys would be buying me a fancy new house," she laughed.


	28. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. New story should be popping up next week.

Winter came and went. Spring was finally upon them and the interior construction was almost complete. The structural engineers had been keeping an eye on the structure during the construction and weather shifts. They were taking measurements and seeing if any new work had developed cracks, started to bow, or had any other signs of stress. None of the walls could be closed up until after the weather had evened out – no crazy temperature swings or high humidity. Once they were sure that no signs of stress were visible or found when taking measurements, then the internal conditioning systems could be turned on and it could been seen whether or not things would be affected from there.

"Not a very easy process but we're getting there," Dr. Schwartz said as he pointed out that so far things were going well. All of the ThunderCats were in the conference room getting the update.

"Thank you Doctor. There is no way that we could ever repay you and your team," Lion-O said.

"I'm just glad that no one was seriously hurt or worse when the incident occurred. Hopefully, you'll be moving back in by summer," the scientist smiled.

"Sounds good to me. I'd really like to get the nursery set up," Pumyra smiled. She was two months pregnant and she and Ben-Gali could not be happier. They were married around the end of the previous year.

"It'll be good to have little feet around the Lair," Cheetara couldn't help but be happy for her friend. She felt Lion-O's hand on her thigh. They had grown close over the months following the blowup with her former fiancé. The cheetah wanted to have children but she had not shared that with Lion-O. They hadn't even been in a relationship for a year yet.

"Thank you everyone. We'll reconvene for another update next week," the King said. The group got up and dispersed, except for the lion and the cheetah.

"See you tonight?" He asked, leaning over so that his forehead was touching hers.

"Indeed, my King," she smirked and they kissed.

"Give Slythe my best," the cheetah said as they reluctantly pulled apart.

"Will do," Lion-O smiled. The reptile had made great strides in his recovery with the help of Leanna, Pumyra, and Evil Chaser Doctor Hall. He was soon to be released from his therapy sessions and commitment to the Med Bay. The future was looking brighter and together they would move forward, striving to be the best they could be.

 **T** **h** **e**   **E** **n** **d**


End file.
